And It Don’t Stop: Constellation Brands to Acquire Craft Beer Maker Ballast Point for $1B

Constellation Brands Inc (STZ.N) said it will buy Sculpin IPA-owner Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits for about $1 billion to enter the fast-growing craft beer market, in what will be its biggest acquisition since 2012.

Constellation does not expect the Anheuser-Busch InBev-SABMiller Plc colossus to hurt its market of high-margin Mexican brews such as Corona and Modelo in the United States, Chief Executive Rob Sands told Reuters.

“We focus almost fully on the high end of the beer business, and we are really focused only on the U.S. domestic business,” Sands said.

The AB InBev (ABI.BR)-SABMiller (SAB.L) combination will produce a third of the world’s beer. SABMiller’s Miller brands, which will be bought by Molson Coors Brewing Co (TAP.N) and AB InBev’s brands such as Budweiser are relatively cheaper.

Beer volumes in North America and western Europe have steadily declined in the past two decades as consumers shift to craft brews made by independent players, leading major beer companies to enter that market through acquisitions.

The $19.6 billion-U.S. craft beer market grew by about 18 percent in barrel volume in 2014, compared with a 0.5 percent increase in volumes in the U.S. beer industry, according to the Brewers Association.

San Diego-based Ballast Point makes more than 40 different types of craft beer and its brands also include Grapefruit Sculpin IPA.

Ballast Point is expected to have net sales of about $115 million this year, Constellation said in a statement.
Read more at Reuters